Ha ha.. have to laugh because this morning I've decided that I'm not going to limit my ghee!! ha ha.... 1 tsp a week is just not going to cut it!!!!

I agree that cutting avoids is far more important than worrying about portion size / frequency, especially in the beginning. You want to work on meal plans and recipes using all beneficial and neutral (if you eat those) foods... Once you have a pretty good routine down and you're starting to get healthy, then start looking at the fine-tuning...

I agree with ABJoe. When I got serious with my Swami plan I just concentrated on eating my Beneficials. Didn't pay much attention to portions/amounts. As I got feeling better I was able to slowly widdle down my portions till I was eating my recommended amounts and frequencies.

Afternoon - My blood sugar was way down and I was suffering so I found myself eating these things. it did feel like a binge type activity - esp with the TWO bananas but it cured my physical suffering and I remember reading Dr. D saying to eat fruit as you are coming out of blood sugar issues or something like that!Two bananas, 1/2 cup almonds, Stevia grape soda cut with water

Late Afternoon1 cut of tea with plain organic soy/almond milk and stevia

Today I was not hungry except when meal time came. That was very good! But I am aching all over and fatigued. I'm sure this is a repercussion of the bad eating. All day long I kept thinking "when we are out, I'll just get hubby to take me to mexican food for dinner and I'll just have an abstinent meal." I'm so glad I lost interest in that since corn and tomatoes cause me to hurt all over, plus I'm sure there is sugar in the sauces.

I am doing ok - have had a few minor slip ups - a cup of tea with cream and some pork after we ran out of food and my DH cooked up whatever was in the freezer - left over from before. I have noticed though that I felt bad after the pork - couldn't put my finger on it but just felt a bit 'off'. I am really digging my diamonds - ginger tea seems to have a big effect on me - makes me feel very warm and energized. I also eat tons of broccoli and fried hake. I even managed to get hold of some pomegranates which are also diamonds for me. I dropped a bit of weight too despite my slip ups. I have maintained the past week but am hoping for more soon....I have backed off the diamond cheese though - I had a tough lesson of tennis the day after eating a lot of it - I am intolerant to casein and that is the first thing that goes - my tenis performance. I guess that is just where I am more individual than just being Swami explorer - a personal intolerance. I am so WARM eating this way too. No more cold hands and feet.

I am also supplementing with iron and other minerals right now - I have found that my period pains go away when I supplement iron. A typical explorer trait being low in iron too i think?

well dropped a bit more weight. I ate a lot of butter yesterday which is a black dot but doesn't seem to disagree with me - I try to have more olive oil which is a diamond but sometimes I really like something a bit heavier. I will make some ghee which is a superfood. I seem to crave a lot of fat and always have so I am not restricting it if I want it. Lentils are agreeing with me as well. I need a moderate amount of carbs to feel well and be able to exercise (well actually to WANT to exercise I need to eat a lot of calories full stop) - low carb makes me feel awful even with lots of fat - and high carb makes me crazy. If I mix a decent amount of carbs with lots of fat I am really full of energy and don't seem to gain! As long as they are compliant carbs of course. I hope this is the answer for me - I do feel very well on the recommended foods - apart from the cheese.